"Chouji, up ahead. Three of them. We should go this way."
"Yes ma'am!"
"This way is ten times slower."
Ino refused to acknowledge the rude tone that was being used, keeping her pace with the two men.
A few weeks ago, she might have put up a fight to be on a team with the Inuzuka, but not fucking today. Unfortunately, she was not the one in charge of administering missions in Konoha, so here they were. He was one of their best trackers, she of expert sensory, and Chouji was to act as the brawn if necessary. They were one member shy of Team 10, she scowled, wishing she could tell her teammate how much they had downgraded.
She probably should have listened to the details a little better. Something about smuggling a document to another ally shinobi, avoiding combat at all costs, making it back before dawn. Whatever. She wasn't sure why they needed a three-man team for such a straight-forward mission. It wasn't like they had to travel to another village.
No combat carved the day out to be rather dull, and she had noted beforehand what an odd team they were.
The Akimichi sensed no out of place tension, so he obliviously struck up many failed conversations. Unfortunately, the awkward didn't go away for Ino. She couldn't stand his arrogant expressions, the extreme cockiness. What an immature son of a bitch.
"You all aren't very talkative today. Usually you guys don't shut up!"
He was all in good nature; she could never get mad at Chouji. Wasn't his fault her life was in shambles.
"I know, right," She smiled, the first of the day. "It's just.. I'm thinking of all the work I have to do back home. I can't catch a break."
"Ah," He slowed down a bit, glad he finally broke the ice. "Hospital or interrogation? Both?"
"Not sure," The blonde looked down, her thoughts slipping. "Sakura could use the help, but.. Ibiki says my clan appreciates the interrogation unit a lot more. I'm not sure which I value more."
"I see, that's a pretty tough decision. I'd be stuck too."
"You've had a lot of those lately, hmm," Kiba murmured savagely, deliberately confusing the mood.
She almost didn't, took every piece of will she had to ignore his comment. She avoided their gazes.
"Good work, team," Chouji announced once they were in sight of the gates. "As self-appointed leader, I'll write up our report and turn it in by noon. Mission: Successful."
"I'll see you tomorrow," Ino called out before she started the other way. "We'll meet up this weekend, for sure."
"Alright! See you then?"
"Invite Shikamaru too," She instructed her teammate, "maybe he'll pay."
"You guys are good now?"
"Oh, yeah," Ino said sheepishly, "he said sorry. It'll take more than a few disagreements to break up MY team!"
Chouji nodded, despite knowing Shikamaru was not one to apologize for his actions. They had taken missteps together in the past, but it wasn't the same now. "Will do. Be careful. I'll see you soon."
She was grateful to have lost sight of Kiba, not particularly caring if he dropped off the face of the earth. Hoped to get a few hours of sleep as morning fog began to blanket the village. But before she could sleep with good conscience, a brief check-in at the hospital had to happen. Those all nighter shifts were no joke, and she could definitely sympathize.
More likely than not. her best friend would turn down the support, claiming she had it under control. There would be no arguments coming from the Yamanaka today.
"Five-head, I don't see her anywhere. Where is she?"
The shrugs and dumbfounded stares Ino received in response became enough quickly. That brain of hers had to weigh a ton. Couldn't have gone too far. Checked different floors, offices, main hallways.. She memorized the schedule like the back of her hand.
"Yes, I suggested he rest all day and tomorrow. I'm not sure where he went."
"If I know Shino, he's getting fresh air in the company of his bugs. Obviously in pretty good shape if you ask me."
"Each to their own, I always say."
The mind reader was guided by a pair of familiar voices she knew all too well. She did not rethink her intrusion.
"I've been looking for you! You're too impossible!"
Sakura almost flinched, spinning around to face the Yamanaka. "Ino! Where have you been?"
Fully stepping into the room, she noticeably grimaced. "I came to see if you needed anything, but now that I'm here.. the more I'm wishing I would've gone straight to bed."
"You know what? Tell me later," The medic was conscious of the other presence in the room, although she did not pick up on the strange mood. "I was just telling Kiba of Shino's condition. Lots of us in here lately, huh?"
"He'll never wanna come back once you two scare him away."
Sakura appreciated the humor after twelve hours of monotony. "Very funny. By the way, Ino, I was told to free you up this week by Ibiki."
That pushy bastard. Just when she thought he couldn't get any more sneaky. "God, I had no idea. I'll let you know, okay." She felt like she was promising the world to so many and falling short every time.
"Fine by me, I wouldn't have said anything to the man. He scares us all." The Haruno adjusted her skirt, nodding at them both. "Anyways, I have some other patients to see. I'll have to check up on you guys later.."
A suspicious look was exchanged between them; the blonde hastily turned on the Inuzuka as soon as Sakura was out of earshot.
"Fuck you! You're the worst!"
Not believing what he was hearing, Kiba wasted no time going into defensive mode. On his feet in an instant. "Fuck me? Fuck you! What is your problem?!"
"You are a worldwide problem!" Ino remembered to keep her voice down, trying to be as intimidating as possible while being quiet. "The way you acted today was so uncalled for!"
"Whoa, did you seriously come here to bitch?" He crossed his arms, "I've seen enough of you today, so why don't you get the hell out?"
She didn't back away, squaring her shoulders as if ready to trade blows. "You have been the biggest pain all day. Why don't you get the hell out?"
Kiba minimized the distance between them, now inches, "Because I'm here for a fucking reason, maybe? Not everything has to revolve around you, but I guess you didn't know that."
"You're just pissed that there are guys out there with more to offer," Ino smirked, anticipating his outburst. "I probably would've told you had I been sober, actually."
He stepped away then, cunning enough to see through her plan. "Oh yeah? I highly doubt that," he uncrossed his arms, shrugging carelessly, "it sucks that you're so willing to take a good thing and throw it away for your own selfish reasons. You never deserved my attention that day."
"What day?" She forced her glare upon him, armed with more words to end their fight.
He straightened his stance, shrugging again. "All of them. I wish I had never kissed you."
"Probably because I kissed you first, dumbass."
"It happened regardless!" Kiba had written off that part, "but like I said, you want to lie and be with me at the same time."
"I think you're getting it a little twisted," She snarled, "Who said I want to be with you?! And let's get this established: together or not together, you will never tell me what to fucking do. So unless you wanna apologize for calling me a liar, you should shut up."
He laughed audibly, "Get over it, doll. You'll be waiting all night."
Ino was successfully more pissed than before, "Don't call me that! Ever again!" She shoved him roughly enough to force a stumble. "Seriously, fuck you! To think I was actually going to forget this and move on,"
Although not quite as worked up, her vehemence was a little surprising. He caught her wrist and they wrestled each other onto the vacant bed. Never got the real chance to fight due to realizing how weird it was.
"What the hell are you doing!?"
"You shouldn't have pushed me," The Inuzuka loosened his grip anyways. "and I'll be damned if I lose to a girl. Maybe you should try apologizing."
"Forget it, handsome," She spat sarcastically, looking up at him with tired, icy eyes.
Not completely sure if it was the heat of the moment or hormones or their argument that fueled the instinct, but it was his turn to catch her off guard.
Ino almost forgot why she was mad in the first place, the kiss spiking her energy. In those few seconds, she recalled all the things she loved about Kiba. Missed the smell of his leather jacket, those passionate eyes, the warmth of his skin. A unpredictable, crazy love.
She clutched his arms, unable to keep count of how many times their lips met. "If I say I'll forget this, will you?"
"Okay, but I'm still not apologizing."
"I don't care. I don't want to talk about anything."
She faintly remembered whispering the same words, smirking before losing herself in the moment. Deep, fervent desire burning into the one another. They had openly hated each other minutes ago, but the emotions could be flipped like a switch. It felt like it was just the two of them, except it wasn't just the two of them any more.
"What is going on here?!"
"In my bed, apparently."
In the threshold stood Kurenai Yuhi, Shino Aburame, and none other than Kakashi Hatake. No doubt there to make a casual visit.
If someone could die from humiliation, it would have happened to both on the spot. It topped being walked in on by her dad. It topped anything stupid she ever did. It would go down in history as of the most humiliating situations ever to happen in Konoha.
The exclamation must have caught Sakura's attention, because she stuck her head in as well, promptly expressing her own disbelief. "Ino!"
"Wow," Kakashi was first to speak, smiling darkly underneath his mask. "what crippling embarrassment for all those involved. A unique couple, I have to say."
A/N;; Late update, but I still continuously get ideas & write. Please review, follow, etc etc. ^^